Main Tire matches Red Cross donations

Local businesses and community donations assist with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts as more volunteers deploy for the storm areaThe American Red Cross accepted a donation of $5,000 from Main Tire Exchange, Inc. in Dansville yesterday morning. Tim and Jon Shay, owners of Main Tire Exchange, pledged to match commu...

By Sen. Tom O’Mara

The Dansville Online

By Sen. Tom O’Mara

Posted Dec. 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Dec 13, 2012 at 1:17 PM

By Sen. Tom O’Mara

Posted Dec. 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Dec 13, 2012 at 1:17 PM

Local businesses and community donations assist with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts as more volunteers deploy for the storm area

The American Red Cross accepted a donation of $5,000 from Main Tire Exchange, Inc. in Dansville yesterday morning. Tim and Jon Shay, owners of Main Tire Exchange, pledged to match community donations in Dansville up to $5,000; their challenge generated more than $6,000 in donations, bringing the total donation from Main Tire and the community to $11,041.

According to Jon Shay, the donation was a last gift to the community from Main Tire Exchange, which was sold last week to McCarthy Tire and Automotive Centers based in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

The Finger Lakes NY Region of the American Red Cross continues to support the Hurricane Sandy relief effort with both financial and personnel assistance. To date, the nine-county region has deployed 80 volunteers to New York and New Jersey.

Two additional volunteers, Ari Gottlieb, of Rochester, and Patrick Watters, of Bloomfield, departed for New Jersey this morning. They will serve as Transportation Coordinators.

Gottlieb, who is on his second Hurricane Sandy deployment, and Watters, who is on his third deployment for Sandy, are joining several other area volunteers who deployed in the past week. They include:

Michael Riley, of Brighton.

Pam Hatch, of Ontario.

Martha and Alan Durbin, of Webster.

Carole Milner, of Rochester (second Sandy deployment).

Sarah Perkins, of Henrietta (second Sandy deployment).

Roger Kessler, of Canandaigua (second Sandy deployment).

Klaas de Waard, of Avon.

SHELTER, FOOD AND RELIEF ITEMS

In the first month since Sandy hit, the Red Cross provided almost 79,000 shelter stays for Sandy, part of an overall shelter response that provided more than 153,000 shelter stays. The Red Cross has also:

Provided more than 7.4 million meals and snacks through its partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention to people affected by Sandy in New York and New Jersey.

Distributed more than 5.2 million relief items including cold weather items like coats and blankets and supplies to help people as they begin the massive clean-up of their neighborhoods.

Provided more than 86,000 health services and mental health contacts for people who have been living in very tough conditions.

The Red Cross response dealt with the unusual cold weather hurricane. Sandy was followed by a nor’easter that dumped snow and brought frigid temperatures to people struggling without power, and the Red Cross supplies included more Red Cross blankets, gloves and hand-warmers.

Page 2 of 2 - LOOKING AHEAD

The Red Cross has raised nearly $170 million to date for Sandy and estimates that it will spend $110 million on the emergency relief through the end of December. Any funds donated for Sandy beyond what is needed for emergency relief will be put to use serving the long-term needs of those affected by this disaster. The Red Cross is already working with communities to determine unmet needs and how they can be met—something which will continue into the recovery process.

The Red Cross is developing specific plans that will in­clude a comprehensive needs assessment of the affected com­munities and individuals; plans that will identify resources available from both the Red Cross and other organizations. Recognizing that each community will have different needs, and different groups working to meet them, the role of the Red Cross will be determined by these local needs. What’s crucial is that there is community collaboration and cooperation to ensure that longer-term help reaches people who need it.